Religion or Relationship
A hundred sermons could be preached using the children of Israel! There are so many lessons we can learn from their blunders. I guess we could all say that about each other. I saw one recently in Exodus…they had been in bondage four hundred years. That’s a very long time. They were crying out to God for deliverance. They wanted freedom for themselves…but did they want relationship with God too? Let’s see…
Exodus 19:1 says they had been in the wilderness three months by this time. They were headed to mount Sinai…to meet God. Or at least that was God’s plan, to finally have a people to be in covenant relationship with. In verse 4 God says, “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, how I bore you up on eagles wings and brought you to myself…He wanted them for himself-this speaks of relationship. They wanted the promised land-getting something from God. #shutup
With a relationship comes conditions or expectations, like marriage for example. I can’t marry someone and then expect to be able to sleep with other people. That would violate our covenant, or break the rules of relationship we originally committed to and my husband would divorce me! God tells them in verse 5, “IF you will obey my voice AND keep my covenant, THEN you shall be a special treasure to me above all people…” He wanted commitment from them not lip service.
When God descended on the mountain in Exodus 20:18-19 it says, “ Now all the people witnessed the thundering’s, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.” They wanted God to speak to them through Moses (religion) not face to face (relationship).
They wanted deliverance from Egypt and slavery; they even agreed to come “close” to God but when it came right down to it that is all they wanted. They were afraid to totally commit to a relationship with God because they were afraid.
I believe that is what religion is, coming close to God without full commitment. We like to go to church, do religious things, give to the church etc. but still reserve part of our life for ourselves. Because after all it is our life isn’t it? Or is it?
So the Israelites had to wonder around that same wilderness while God tried over and over, providing miracle after miracle to get them to fully commit to him. Sadly out of the millions who came out of slavery only two were ever able to cross over into the Promised Land. T.W.O. What a sad commentary.
A Covenant is…a life for a life. Jesus gave his life for us and in exchange he wants rights to our life simple as that. But that sounds scary doesn’t it? Yes it does. But I’ve found over the last 45 years of serving him that the more I learn about God through his Word the more I have fallen in love (relationship) with him and the more I want to give him everything.
It isn’t about him being my sugar daddy, or giving me blessings and answering my prayers the way I want him to. It’s about me giving him me…letting him change me into his image so that he is made famous through my life. It’s about me being his hands and his feet in this earth to get the things done he desires. Touching the hurting, feeding the hungry, hugging the broken. #itsnotaboutme
Religion is about me.
Relationship is about him.
Father….help us to understand this concept so that our relationship with you can soar to new heights. Show us who you are and who you want to be for us. Give us the strength to fully commit to you this year in deeper ways than we ever have. Help us to lay our lives at your feet in deeper surrender. In Jesus name….